Stump-burner.



A WATTSL STUMP BURNER.

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1,276,140. Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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ATTORNEY.

ARTHUR WATTS, OF IBE'LLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

STUMP-BURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed November 12, 1917. Serial No. 201,482.

citizen of the United States, residing at Bellingham, in the county ofVVhatcom and State of Washington, have invented a new and usefulStump-Burner, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stump-burning apparatus, and theobjects ofmy invention are, 1st to produce an apparatus which whenapplied to a stump, log or tree, will reduce it, bydestructivedistillation, and by using well known distilling devices, preserve thecharcoal and other products of said distillation, 2d: to use the stump,log, or etc, as a part of the apparatus required to properly perform thework, and 3d: to protect those parts of the apparatus exposed to theintense heat, accompanying the burning, from injury by said heat.

l'. accomplish these objects by the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation view of myapparatus in operative position with the stump in vertical cross sectionand with a portion of the distilling apparatus broken away, Fig. 2 is'anelevation view of the distilling apparatus not shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3is an elevation view of one of the similar water-jacketed tubes, andFig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 3.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several views.

Certain parts are broken away in order to show others hidden thereby.

More particularly: A. is a stump in vertical cross section. A A A areroots of said stump in ground C. 1 and 2 are transverse holes in stump Abored near the ground and intersecting near the center of the stump.similar construction inserted or driven tightly in said holes and havingtheir inner ends near each other in the interior of the stump. Air inlettube 3 comprises inner shell 3, outer shell 3, sealed at the ends andinclosing annular chamber 3. Both ends of shell 3- are open. A pipe 5 isconnected with outer shell 3 near its outer end to establishcommunication with chamber 3. Pipe 5 connects chamber 3 with four-wayfitting 5. Pipe 6 connects fitting 5 with water tank 7. Filling pipe 7",having valve 3 and 4 are jacketed tubes of I 7 is connected into theclosed top of tank 7 and its upper end terminates in filling funnel 7.Pipe 5 connects the upper branch of fitting 5 with steam drum 8. Intothe upper end of drum 8 is connected pipe 8 having four-way fitting 8and valve With one branch of fitting 8 is connected safety valve 12.Outlet tube 4 is preferably similar to inlet tube 3 and comprises innershell 4, opened at both ends and covered by outer shell or jacket 4 theends of which are sealed to the ends of the inner shell forming theannular chamber 4. Pipe 6 is connected to the outer shell 4 near itsouterend and communicates with chamber 4. The other end of pipe 6- isconnected to one of the branches of fitting 5 thus forming communicationbetween water barrel 7 and said chamber 4. Thus chambers 3 and 4 arefilled with water from tank? and serve as water jackets for tubes 3 and4. Four-way fitting 4 is connected to the outer end of tube 4. The lowerbranch of fitting 4 is closed with plug 4. Pipe 4 having valve 4, isconnected to one of the branches of fitting 4. The upper branch of saidfitting has the stand pipe, or smoke pipe, 4 connected therewith. Thetop of said smoke pipe is closed with cap 4 Pipe 9 leads from smoke pipe4 to one of the branches of fitting 8 and has the valve 9. Condensertank 10, which is drawn relatively smaller for lack of space, is enterednear its top by pipe 4 from fitting 4". In side of said tank, which isclosed, pipe 4 bends downward terminating in pipe 4 which enters water10 in tank 10. Filling pipe 10 enters the top of tank 10 and has valve10 and funnel 10. Exhaust pipe 10 enters the top of tank 10 and itsother end is connected to the intake of power exhauster 11. Exhauster 11has outlet 11' and pulley 11".

In operation: Fire is started at the inter section of holes 1 and 2 instump A. Burning of the interior is aided by removing cap 4 plug 4,building a fire under fitting 4 and also at the inlet of tube 3. Whenfire is well started in said interior the water in water jackets 3 and 4is converted into steam and collects in drum 8. The said burning can befurther accelerated by opening valve 9 when said steam will exhaustthrough the top of stack 4 and increase the volume of air entering inlet3. To save the products oi the combustion, started as stated,

cap 4! and plug 4 are replaced and valve 4.

opened and exhanster 11 started. The operation of the exhauster tends tocreate a vacuum in tank 10 and the products of combustion from theconflagration within stump A are drawn down into water 10 in said tank.The water retains said products wit-h .is closed and water is again putin tank 10 and the saving process continued. In addi tion to the gaseousproducts of the combustion that pass out through pipe 4 the stump isgradually charred. This charring progresses from the intersection ofholes 1 and 2 as a center in all directions; upward until the top of thestump is reached, laterally until the shell is penetrated and downwarduntil the ground is reached. Said charring also penetrates the roots.hen the charring penetrates the exterior of the stump above ground theopening must be closed to prevent combustion of charcoal B. This closureis ordinarily effected by covering the opening with earth. The interior,slow combustion is allowed to proceed until the shell is so nearlyburned-oil that it may readily be chopped through. This is done and thestump overturned and the charcoal removed after the fire in the same hasbeen extinguished. The burnin'gbegun in roots A A etc, will oftencontinue after the stump is removed until'they are burned away wellbelow plow depth.

When not saving the gaseous products of combustion, cap 4 is permanentlyremoved from the top of smoke pipe 4 and the operation proceeds in thesimplest way. In this case, however, the charcoal can be saved.

In addition to the use of the steam that collects in drum 8 abovereferred to it can be used for any other desired purpose for which it'is suited at the place where the distillation is being performed. It agreater quantity of steam is desired, it can be obtained by increasingthe numbers of the burners employed.

Attention is called to the fact that in my apparatus, as described,stump A serves the purpose of a retort. Hence the water around tubes 3and 4 not only protects said burners from injury by the heat of theburning butalso serves the more important purpose of preventing saidburners from becoming hot enough to loosen themselves in holes 1 and 2and thus cause admission of air at those places which would preventproper control of the interior burning.

My apparatus is also well suited for distilling logs, and can be used toburn down trees.

I am aware that it is not new to combine distilling apparatus withburning means in the art of the destructive distillation of wood. a

- Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is In a device for burning stumps,the combination of two tubes each provided with water jackets. adaptedto be fitted into holes in a stump, one of said tubes providing an airinlet and the other tube an outlet for the products of combustion, awater tank, and pipes in communication with said jackets and said tank.

- ARTHUR WATTS.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

